Lamp socket construction

ABSTRACT

A lamp socket construction comprising a bracket and a first conductor mounted on the bracket comprising a pair of spacedapart arms for receiving the peripheral contact portion of a lamp. A second conductor is mounted on the bracket in spaced relationship with the first conductor, and the second conductor includes a resilient contact arm for engaging the end contact portion of the lamp. The socket can be mounted in a housing for display on an instrument panel, and this assembly is designed so that the lamp can be replaced from the front of the panel.

United States Patent Farrell 1 Feb. 8, 1972 [S41 LAMP SOCKET CONSTRUCTION 72 Inventor: Guy M. Farrell, 261 P6 11111, 1311111111111, 111.

221 Filed: 1 611.2, 1910 [211 Appl.No.: 1,944

[521 u.s.c1. "4139/1262,339/217s,339/2s7,

[5s] measure. 39/126, 277,251, 199,176, 339/59, 217, 132

[56] RdmClted UNI'IEDSTAIES PATENTS 3,025,491 3/1962 Hopkins ....339/176 3,100,035 8/1963 Dover ..339/59x 3,143,301 8/ 1964 Trautner et a1. ..339/59 X 3,210.532 10/1965 Woofier et a1. 3,286,255 11/1966 Sanchez ..340/38l Primary Examiner-Richard E. Moore Attonwy-McDougall, Hersh 8:. Scott [57] ABSTRACT A lamp socket construction comprising a bracket and a first conductor mounted on the bracket comprising a pair of spaced-apart anns for receiving the peripheral contact portion of a lamp. A second conductor is mounted on the bracket in spaced relationship with the first conductor, and the second conductor includes a resilient contact arm for engaging the end contact portion of the lamp. The socket can be mounted in a housing for display on an instrument panel, and this assembly is designed so that the lamp can be replaced from the front of the panel.

SCIaimlSDrawlngFlgures LAMP SOCKET CONSTRUCTION This invention relates to a socket construction for holding a lamp. The invention is particularly concerned with sockets for lamps of the type commonly used in association with various instruments so that the condition of the lamp may be used for determining whether the instrument is on or off, whether certain portions of the instrument are in use, or for various other reasons.

A very large'number of such lamps are use for a wide range of consumer and industrial applications. Accordingly, the initial costs of sockets employed for such lamps is of concern to manufacturers. In addition, the ease with which such lamps are placed in a socket is important from the standpoint of efficiency in assembly operations, and from the standpoint of users convenience. Furthermore, the accessibility of such lamps for replacement purposes is of major concern since both labor costs and downtime for instruments are involved when a lamp burns out and must be replaced.

It is a general object of this invention to provide an improved socket design for lamps of the type commonly used in various consumer and industrial constructions such as recording and control instruments.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a lamp socket construction which is extremely simple in design whereby the construction can be economically manufactured and assembled.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a lamp socket construction which is characterized by a simple means for inserting and removing lamps whereby lamps can be efficiently placed in the socket during initial installation and during replacement of a burnt-out lamp.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved assembly comprising a lamp socket and associated housing which permits location of a lamp on the front panel of an instrument housing or the like while enabling replacement of a burnt-out lamp from the exterior of the panel without detaching the housing. These and other objects of this invention will appear hereinafter, and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, specific embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is an exploded view illustrating, in front elevation, the lamp socket construction of the invention and a lamp of the type adapted to be mounted therein;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the socket and lamp in side elevation;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating the bracket and conductor elements of the socket;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the socket;

FIG. 5 is a vertical, sectional view of the socket with the lamp attached thereto;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the socket taken about the line 6-6 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the bracket taken about the line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 8 through 10 illustrate alternative assemblies of the conductors and bracket;

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of a bracket designed for association with a printed circuit board;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the bracket shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a bottom plan view of the bracket shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 isa front elevational view illustrating the socket associated with a lamp housing; and,

FIG. 15 is a vertical sectional view taken about the line 15- 15 of FIG. 14.

The construction of this invention generally comprises socket for holding a lamp of a conventional type having a peripheral contact portion and an end contact portion. The socket includes a supporting bracket holding a first conductor having a pair of spaced-apart arms. The opening between the arms is dimensioned so that the peripheral contact portion of the lamp forces the arms apart during insertion, and so that the arms have pressure contact with the lamp during use.

The bracket also holds a second conductor which includes a resilient arm for engaging the end contact portion of the lamp. This second conductor is spaced from the first conductor to provide pressure engagement of the resilient arm with the end contact.

The invention also relates to an assembly comprising the lamp socket and a housing for the lamp socket. The housing is adapted to be mounted on an instrument panel or the like, and the housing includes a removable front panel which permits insertion and removal of a lamp from the exterior of the instrument.

The drawings illustrate a socket construction 10 which incorporates the features of this invention. The socket includes a bracket portion 12 having an outwardly extending mounting flange 14. An opening 16 extends through the bracket portion to provide means for receiving and securing the conductors I8 and 20.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the conductor 18 comprises a pair of spaced-apart arms 22 and 24. An opening 26 is provided the arms for receiving a lamp. The opening 28 comprises a continuationof the opening 26, and provides for spreading of the arms during insertion of a lamp.

The conductor 20 consists of a resilient arm 30'having an inturned contact portion 32. The conductor is relieved by the openings 34 to permit flexing of the am 30.

As best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the width of the central body portion of each of the conductors 18 and 20 corresponds with the distance between the slotted areas 36 in the bracket 12. Accordingly, each of the conductors can be inserted into the bracket by first moving theterminal ends 38 of the conductors into the opening 16. Tabs 40 are formed in each of the terminal ends, and these tabs must be forced through the respective slots 36. When the conductors have reached their proper position, the tabs 40 will snap outwardly to lock the conductors in place. Shoulders 42 are formed in the conductor l8, and shoulders 44 are formed in the conductor 20 to limit the movement of the conductors relative to the bracket.

The lamp 46 associated with the construction is of a conventional type including a peripheral contact portion 48 and an end contact portion 50. Insulation 52 is situated between these contact portions. The peripheral contact portion 48 includes an outwardly extending flange 54.

In use, the lamp 46 is inserted by moving the lamp downwardly from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 5. The opening 26 in the conductor 18 is dimensioned so that the arms 22 and 24 spread apart during insertion of the lamp. When the lamp is properly located, the teeth 56 formed on the arm 22 will engage the sides of the contact portion 48.

The end contact 50 of the lamp is forced against the contact portion 32 on the arm 30 of the conductor 20. The spacing between the conductors 18 and 20 is preferably selected so that the arm 30 will tend to force the flange 54 into engagement with the arms 22 and 24 of the conductor 18. This provides additional engagement under pressure to insure proper operation.

In FIG. 5, the lamp 46 is positioned so that it extends out wardly immediately adjacent the mounting flange 14 of the bracket 12. The opening 16 of the bracket, including the slots 36, is, however, symmetrical so that anyone of three other positions can also be assumed by the lamp. As shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, the conductors l8 and 20 can be just as easily located in difi'erent relative positions. This arrangement is highly desirable from a cost standpoint since precisely the same inventory of parts can be utilized for providing a variety of different socket configurations.

FIGS. 11 through 13 illustrate a modification of the invention suitable for location on a printed circuit board. Specifically, the bracket for the socket is modified to provide legs 58 which may be dimensioned for insertion in holes of a printed circuit board. This arrangement includes all the advantageous features of the invention including the ability to provide different orientations for the conductors l8 and 20.

FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate an assembly of the lamp socket with a housing 60. The housing60 includes a pair of resilient tabs 62 formed integrally'with the sidewalls 64. The housing is particularly suited for insertion in an opening provided in the front panel 66 which might be used on a recording or control instrument. When the housing is moved inwardly through the opening, the resilient tabs 62 are pressed in until they clear the panel wall and the tabs then snap outwardly to lock the housing relative to the opening. A flange 68 is provided on the housing to limit the inward movement.

The housing 60 is also provided with a light transmitting cover 70. This cover includes inwardly extending legs 72 which are adapted to be forced through an opening in the housing and which then snap into place behind the inwardly extending shoulders 74 defined by the housing. A gap 76 is provided around the cover 70 so that the cover can be pried off with a screw driver or the like.

The lamp socket of the invention is mounted within the housing by means of a screw 78 extending through the mounting flange 14 and the back wall 80 of the housing. Since the cover 76 is removable, the lamp 46 can be easily inserted or removed. Thus, the combination of the lamp socket of the invention, and the design of the housing, provides an extremely efficient arrangement, particularly when it is necessary to replace a bumt-out bulb. There is no necessity for removing the housing 62 or for gaining access to the inside of the instrument, for example, by removing the panel 66.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the abovedescribed construction which provide the characteristics of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

- That which is claimed is:

1. In the combination of a lamp socket construction and a lamp held by the socket, said lamp being of the type having a peripheral contact portion and an end contact portion, said socket comprising a supporting bracket, and first and second conductors secured to said bracket, the improvement wherein said first conductor comprises a pair of spaced-apart arms and a connecting portion securing the first conductor to said bracket, the opening between said arms being dimensioned so that the peripheral contact portion of said lamp forces said arms apart when the lamp is located in said socket, said arms therefore having pressure engagement with said peripheral contact portion, and a second conductor comprising a resilient contact arm and a connecting portion securing the second conductor to said bracket, said second conductor being positioned between said arms and in spaced relationship therewith, said end contact portion of said lamp engaging said resilient contact arm, the spacing between said first and second conductors being such that said resilient contact arm presses against said end contact portion in a direction toward said spaced-apart arms, a mounting member for said socket, said mounting member being formed integrally with said bracket and extending outwardly from one end thereof, openings in said bracket receiving said first and second conductors, said openings extending completely along the length of said bracket andsaid openings having the same configuration whereby said conductors can be placed in either opening, and whereby said pair of spaced-apart arms and said resilient contact arm can be located to extend from either end of said bracket whereby said mounting member can be located in any one of four different positions relative to a lamp held in said socket.

2. A construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said conductors define integrally formed terminal members, said terminal members extending outwardly of said bracket.

3. A construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein the peripheral contact portion of said lamp includes an outwardly extending flange, pressure engagement with said spaced-apart arms with said peripheral contact portion being provided due to forcing of said flange portion into engagement with said spaced-apart arms as a result of the pressure applied by said resilient arm on said end contact portion.

4. A construction in accordance with claim 1 including a housing for receiving said socket, means for attaching said housing to an instrument panel or the like defining a front, and a light transmitting cover for said housing, said cover being releasably attached to said housing and being removable from the front of the panel while the housing is positioned on said panel, said socket being mounted in a position such that a lamp can be removed and inserted from the front of the panel while the housing is positioned on said panel.

5. A construction in accordance with claim 1 where a bore extends along the length of said bracket, said openings being located in opposed relationship on opposite sides of said bore and comprising continuations of said bore, the combination of said openings and said bore defining an H-shaped configuration, said first and second conductors defining side edges being received within the ends of said H-shaped configuration.

* 1 I i i 

1. In the combination of a lamp socket construction and a lamp held by the socket, said lamp being of the type having a peripheral contact portion and an end contact portion, said socket comprising a supporting bracket, and first and second conductors secured to said bracket, the improvement wherein said first conductor comprises a pair of spaced-apart arms and a connecting portion securing the first conductor to said bracket, the opening between said arms being dimensioned so that the peripheral contact portion of said lamp forces said arms apart when the lamp is located in said socket, said arms therefore having pressure engagement with said peripheral contact portion, and a second conductor comprising a resilient contact arm and a connecting portion securing the second conductor to said bracket, said second conductor being positioned between said arms and in spaced relationship therewith, said end contact portion of said lamp engaging said resilient contact arm, the spacing between said first and second conductors being such that said rEsilient contact arm presses against said end contact portion in a direction toward said spaced-apart arms, a mounting member for said socket, said mounting member being formed integrally with said bracket and extending outwardly from one end thereof, openings in said bracket receiving said first and second conductors, said openings extending completely along the length of said bracket and said openings having the same configuration whereby said conductors can be placed in either opening, and whereby said pair of spaced-apart arms and said resilient contact arm can be located to extend from either end of said bracket whereby said mounting member can be located in any one of four different positions relative to a lamp held in said socket.
 2. A construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said conductors define integrally formed terminal members, said terminal members extending outwardly of said bracket.
 3. A construction in accordance with claim 1 wherein the peripheral contact portion of said lamp includes an outwardly extending flange, pressure engagement of said spaced-apart arms with said peripheral contact portion being provided due to forcing of said flange portion into engagement with said spaced-apart arms as a result of the pressure applied by said resilient arm on said end contact portion.
 4. A construction in accordance with claim 1 including a housing for receiving said socket, means for attaching said housing to an instrument panel or the like defining a front, and a light transmitting cover for said housing, said cover being releasably attached to said housing and being removable from the front of the panel while the housing is positioned on said panel, said socket being mounted in a position such that a lamp can be removed and inserted from the front of the panel while the housing is positioned on said panel.
 5. A construction in accordance with claim 1 where a bore extends along the length of said bracket, said openings being located in opposed relationship on opposite sides of said bore and comprising continuations of said bore, the combination of said openings and said bore defining an H-shaped configuration, said first and second conductors defining side edges being received within the ends of said H-shaped configuration. 